Dry-placer machine



Jan. 15, 1929.

W. F. COMBS ET AL DRY PLACER MACHINE Filed Dec. l2, 1927 n dwventou atto: nu*

Jan. 1.5, 1929. Y 1,698,779

W. F. COMBS Er AL DRY PLACER MACHI NE Filed Dec. 12, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented dan. 15,

narra i stares PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. COMBS, OF DENVER7 COLORADO, AND ISAAC C. LIGHTFOOT, 0F MERRIAM,

' i KANSAS.

DRY-PLACER MACHINE Application led December 12, 1927. Serial No. 239,432.

This invention relates to improvements in placer mining machines and has reference more particularly to a machine that can be used without water and which will therefore be referred to as a dry placer mining` machine.

In many parts of our country there are large deposits of sand and gravel which contain gold in considerable quantities, but these are far removed from water supplies and therefore are not available for treatment in the usual way.

It is the object of this invention to produce a machine that can be used for the separation of gold fromy sand and gravel in a dry state and which therefore can be employed in such places where gold is found, but water is lacking.

This machine, briefly described, comprises a Crusher which serves to reduce the sand and gravel to fine particles and to deliver them to a bar mill where they. are still further reduced. The bar mill has one end connected with a rotary screen whoseother end terminates adjacent a set of movable louvers which in operation are amalgamated and arranged with their amalgamated surfaces facing the rotary screen. Means is also provided for producing ablast of air through the screening device, which will direct the sand and gold particles onto the amalgamated surface of the louvers.

As the gold that is found in dry sands or gravel, to which reference is herein made, is usually very fine and is often referred to as iiour gold, it will be carried by the air current towards the amalgamated plates and will ecome attached to these, whereas the sand and inert matter will not be attracted by the amalgam and thereby a separation will be effected.

. In order more fully to describe this invention, reference will now be had Yto the ac companying drawings in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the improved machine, portions thereof being shown in section to better disclose the construction;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the rotating screen, taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the bar mill taken on line 3 3, Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal diametrical section taken on a plane represented by line 4 4, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section taken online 5 5, Fig. 4;

4 6 is a section taken on line 6 6, Fig. 5, and shows the air manifold, parts thereof being broken away so as to better disclose its construction; and

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7 7, Fig. 1, and illustrates the manner in which the frame containing the movable louvers is held in place.

The machine is supported on a framework which has been illustrated as formed from a plurality of pipe sections. In the embodiment illustrated the framework is provided with four legs 1, 1 and 2, 2. These legs form two pairs and the legs indicated by numerals 1 are shorter than those indicated by numerals 2. The upper end of each leg is provided with an L 3 to the ends of which the transverse frame members 4 are connected, Fig. 5. Side bars or pipes 5 extend from one leg assembly to the other and these side bars or pipes are provided with a plurality of grooved pulleys. The pulleys which have be n designated by numeral 6 are of considersk able size and are freely rotatable on bars 5, but are'held against longitudinal movement by means Aof collars 7. A smaller grooved pulley 8 is secured to each bar 5 near the support assembly formed from legs 1, 1 and is held against longitudinal movement by means of the collars 9. As the two parallel side bars 5 are each provided with pulleys in the manner shown in Fig. 1, there will be three pairs which are placed opposite each other. These pulleys serve as a support for rotatable cylinders 10 and 11. These cylinders are of differentdiameters, the one indicated by numeral 10, which contains the rotatable screen, being of greater diameter than the cylinder 11, which contains the bars 12. The adjacentends of these cylinders are connected by brackets 13 in the manner shown in Fig. 4. A .spider 15 is secured to the inner end of cylinder 11 and has attached to it a screen 16. For the purpose of attaching this spider in place, it is provided with a plurality of radially extending brackets 17, whose ends are bent at right angles to the plane of the spider and are perforated for the reception of the plates adjacent the cylinder being am elgam ated.

ln testimony whereof We aix our sgnal0 tures.

WILLIAM F. COMES. HAAG c. LGHTFGOT. 

